Carrot cake muffins are the best carrot cake, in muffin form. They are so easy to make with minimal prep time. Drizzled in a delicious cream cheese glaze for the perfect muffin to frosting ratio!
Make a batch of these perfectly portioned muffins in just a 15 minutes hands on time, with pantry staple ingredients, and carrots, of course!
PS If you love a sweet breakfast treat as much as we do, don’t miss my incredible biscuit donuts! They’re a childhood favorite!
Carrot Cake Muffin Ingredients and Substitutions
(An overview, see printable recipe card below)
Sugar – White granulated sugar.
All PurposeFlour – All purpose, no need to sift. I like to keep things simple around here.
Baking Powder – The leavening agent for these foolproof muffins.
Salt – Brings out all the other flavors in baked goods.
Cinnamon – Cinnamon adds a warm flavor.
Egg – Binds ingredients together.
Milk – Use whatever you have on hand – anything from skim to half and half.
Oil – The key ingredient that makes these muffins incredibly moist. Vegetable is preferred, but canola oil can also be used.
Vanilla – A hint of vanilla adds a lot of great flavor. It’s also really easy to make your own homemade vanilla extract.
Carrots – Add more or less fresh grated carrot and grate it into smaller or larger pieces depending on your preference of texture. I prefer finely grated carrots, but for a quick shortcut, purchase shredded carrots.
Frosting
Cream Cheese – The cream cheese glaze is so rich and flavorful and balances these muffins wonderfully.
Butter – Butter adds flavor and gives the frosting it’s melt-in-your-mouth texture! Use salted or unsalted butter, your preference.
Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar has a super fine consistency. It blends really well to create a luxuriously smooth frosting. If you don’t have any, make your own by blending granulated sugar in a food processor until super fine and fluffy. It is also known as confectioner’s sugar.
An Overview How To Make Carrot Cake Muffins
(See full printable instructions in the recipe card below)
Prep – Preheat oven and grease or line a muffin tin. Set aside.
Make Batter – Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In a mixing bowl/stand mixer, beat egg, milk and oil. Gradually add dry mixture to wet until just moist. Add grated carrots.
Bake – Pour batter into prepared muffin tins allowing room to compensate for rise. Bake until golden and set.
Make Icing and Top – Combine topping ingredients and warm 15 seconds in a microwave until smooth and pourable, if needed. Pour over muffins and serve.
Tips
Don’t Over-Mix the Batter – Mix it until the ingredients are just incorporated or the muffins can become too chewy.
Line or Grease Your Muffin Tin – I prefer to grease mine with a little cooking spray for ease.
Soften Butter and Cream Cheese – This creates a really smooth batter and frosting. Check out my tips for quick ways to soften cream cheese and butter.
Allow Muffins to Cool Before Adding Glaze – If they are warm the glaze can slide off.
Variations
Add chopped walnuts
Add raisins
To Store
Room Temperature – Bring to room temperature. Store without glaze in an airtight container or plastic bag up to 3 days.
Refrigerate – Allow to cool. Cover or store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days if glazed or 1 week without glaze.
Freeze – Allow to cool. Freeze without glaze and individually wrap or place in a freezer bag. I like to add a second layer of “protection” to eliminate risk of freezer odor seeping in. Freeze up to 3 months. Bring muffins to room temperature or warm in the microwave to thaw. They make a great snack or last minute breakfast.
Carrot cake muffins are the best carrot cake, in muffin form. They are so easy to make with minimal prep time. Covered in a delicious cream cheese glaze for the perfect muffin to frosting ratio!
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a muffin pan and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl/mixer, beat egg, milk and oil until just combined.
Gradually add dry mixture to wet until just moist. Fold in grated carrots.
Fill muffin tins ¾ full and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown and set.
Combine cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Warm 15 seconds in a microwave until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over muffins.
Tips
Don’t Over-Mix the Batter – Mix it until the ingredients are just incorporated or the muffins can become too chewy.Line or Grease Your Muffin Tin – I prefer to grease mine with a little cooking spray for ease.Soften Butter and Cream Cheese – This creates a really smooth batter and frosting. Check out my tips for quick ways to soften cream cheese and butter.Cool Muffins Before Glazing – If they are warm the glaze can slide off.
Variations
While I kept this recipe simple, you can certainly add your own spin! Add
walnuts
raisins
To Store
Room Temperature – Allow to cool. Store without glaze in an airtight container or plastic bag up to 3 days.
Refrigerate – Allow to cool. Cover refrigerated up to 5 days with glaze up to one week without. Glaze them right before serving.
Freeze – Allow to cool. Freeze without glaze and individually wrap or place in a freezer bag. I like to add a second layer of “protection” to eliminate risk of freezer odor seeping in. Freeze up to 3 months. Bring muffins to room temperature or warm in the microwave to thaw. They make a great snack or last minute breakfast.
When I was looking for a recipe I thought the number of calories was the number of reviews, so I made them based on the overwhelming amount of people that gave this recipe 5 stars. I didn’t realize until after I made them that only 3 people had reviewed this recipe. Total airhead moment, but so glad it happened. These are soooo good and my whole family devoured them, so I went to the store for more carrots and am making them again. Thanks for awesome muffins!
So happy to hear that and I truly appreciate you taking a moment to rate the recipe. Ratings are always so helpful to others. I hope you try more of my easy recipes!
This was an amazing recipe but it would be great to have more detailed instructions and measurements for the recipe.
Hi Carola! It sounds like you missed the printable recipe card in the post.
When I was looking for a recipe I thought the number of calories was the number of reviews, so I made them based on the overwhelming amount of people that gave this recipe 5 stars. I didn’t realize until after I made them that only 3 people had reviewed this recipe. Total airhead moment, but so glad it happened. These are soooo good and my whole family devoured them, so I went to the store for more carrots and am making them again. Thanks for awesome muffins!
So happy to hear that and I truly appreciate you taking a moment to rate the recipe. Ratings are always so helpful to others. I hope you try more of my easy recipes!
These muffins are perfect! I love that they are not super sweet and have carrots! YUM.
Thank you, Laura! So glad you enjoyed them!
Love that cream cheese glaze… I could literally put it on anything! And I love that it’s carrot cake in a cupcake form. Easier to eat!
It was a huge hit with the kids! Easy process and such a simple recipe! The muffins are so fluffy and flavorful.